New affordable homes planned on site of former pupil referral unit

NEW affordable homes could be built at a former pupil referral building in Swansea.

The council wants to demolish Brondeg House, Manselton, and make the site available for council housing.

Brondeg was one of three centres in the city which educated and looked after five to 16-year-olds who didn’t attend mainstream school. The St John’s Road building dealt with the 14 to 16-year-olds.

But it can’t be knocked down quite yet because council planning officers said more information was needed about potential bat roosts and how the site would be left, pending redevelopment.

Officers have also asked for more details about the method of demolition and traffic management. The council will therefore have to seek prior approval before the bulldozers move in.

Pupils at Brondeg, and those at the other two sites, are now taught at Maes Derw – a £9.6 million referral unit in Cockett which opened in March and accommodates other support teams.

Former Lord Mayor of Swansea, Cllr Mark Child, opened the school and said at the time: “The building looks absolutely fantastic but what has struck me is how pupils can now be offered a much wider curriculum alongside vocational training giving them far greater opportunities.”

Brondeg House and its sister sites, meanwhile, were rated as “good” by Welsh Government school inspectors in 2019.

Their report said: “The PRU (pupil referral unit) provides a nurturing and supportive learning environment, which meets the wide range of pupil needs well.

“Most pupils thrive during their time at the PRU and make successful transitions to suitable long-term placements.

“These include return to mainstream schools, colleges of further education and work-based providers.”

Brondeg House was at one point a disability assessment centre.